Firing System and Method for Operating Such a System

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The invention is a firing or combustion system, such as those found in power plants or steelworks, which uses a high-temperature oxygen (O2) membrane placed directly inside or adjacent to the combustion or gasification chamber. This membrane separates oxygen from air at high temperatures (typically above 800°C), providing nearly pure O2 for the combustion or gasification of carbon-based fuels (such as coal), and enables operation without needing to preheat air. This configuration improves energy efficiency by reducing heat losses and simplifies the set-up compared to conventional systems that need external air preheating equipment.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Coal-fired power plants for electricity generation
• Steel production facilities requiring high-purity oxygen for combustion or gasification
• Other industrial plants where high-temperature combustion or gasification using oxygen is needed
• Facilities requiring efficient CO2 capture and separation (carbon capture and storage, CCS)
• Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Reduces the need for external air preheating, lowering energy consumption and system complexity
• Enables more efficient and effective oxygen separation at high temperatures, improving overall process efficiency
• Allows for variable membrane operating temperatures, adaptable to local conditions inside the combustion chamber
• Can decrease membrane area requirements due to higher permeation rates at elevated temperatures, reducing costs
• Improves net efficiency of the power plant or furnace by minimizing heat losses and auxiliary energy needs
• Facilitates easier CO2 capture, supporting emissions reduction and compliance with environmental regulations
• Simplifies system design by eliminating extensive heat exchangers or insulation previously needed for the membrane

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a firing system, as that which can be found in a power plant, for example, for generating electric energy, comprising a combustion chamber for generating steam, and a high-temperate O2 membrane, which according to the invention is disposed inside a combustion or gasification chamber. A firing system, in which coal is burned or gasified using nearly pure oxygen, and the combustion waste gas is optionally scrubbed and partially returned to the combustion process, is operated such that the oxygen employed is obtained by separating it from air using a high-temperature O2 membrane, wherein a preheating of the air is advantageously eliminated according to the invention, and the operating temperature of the high-temperature O2 membrane can be set variably between approximately 800ºC and the maximum temperature present in the chamber for each position inside the combustion or gasification chamber. The firing system according to the invention can advantageously be used in a coal power plant or steel works.